LA 2028 Olympic football to kick off four days before the opening ceremony

The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics` men`s and women`s football competitions will start four days prior to the opening ceremony and take place in seven American locations.

Compared to other Olympics, the IOC-approved early start gives teams two more rest days during the competition. In order to give teams time to travel, the calendar also includes extra rest days following the group stage and quarterfinals.

The LA Olympics football schedule to be spread across seven US cities

The matches will begin on July 10, with the group stage and quarterfinals taking place in New York, Columbus, Ohio, Nashville, Tennessee, and St. Louis.
The knockout rounds will take place in California, with San Jose, San Diego and Pasadena fixed as the venues. The gold medal matches will be held at the Rose Bowl Stadium, which hosted the 1994 men`s World Cup final, the 1999 women`s World Cup final and the 1984 Olympic gold-medal match.

In addition to a men`s quarterfinal on July 20, New York and Columbus will host nine men`s and women`s matches on July 10–11, July 13–14, and July 16–17. Also, nine games will be held in Nashville, including the men`s and women`s quarterfinals on July 20–21 and group-stage matchups on the same dates.

Eight games, including a men`s quarterfinal on July 20, will take place in St. Louis from July 10–17. While seven games will take place in San Jose, including a quarterfinal on July 21 and women`s group-stage matches on July 11, 14, and 17.

Eleven games will take place in San Diego, including the bronze-medal matches on July 27 and 28, the men`s and women`s semifinals on July 24 and 25, and a women`s quarterfinal on July 21.

The Rose Bowl Stadium will host five matches, including a women`s quarterfinal on July 21, men`s and women`s semifinals on July 24 and 25 and the gold-medal matches on July 28 and 29.

The complete schedule will be released later this year. Team Spain won the gold medal in football at the last Olympics in the men`s division, while the USA won the gold for women`s in Paris 2024.

(With AP Input)